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LOOKING BACK AT COMBAT ZONE WRESTLING'S CAGE OF DEATH EVENTS

By Mike Johnson on 2019-12-11 16:58:00

CZW CAGE OF DEATH 2016 COVERAGE

 Mike Johnson Reporting:

Welcome to PWInsider.com's live, ongoing coverage of Combat Zone Wrestling's 2016 Cage of Death event, the promotion's top event of the year. 

Pre-Show notes:

The show is absolutely sold out.  The promotion had to add more chairs to accomodate the fans, so the walk up is really strong. 

Due to internet issues related to construction in the building, the decision was made to upload the show for iPPV tomorrow and to not stream live.  Have no fear, we are here for you though!

In what has to be a first, Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Arena is here, selling ticket for Monday's Raw taping.

The show started officially at 8:03 PM, a little late as they were still getting fans into the venue, with a video spotlighting all the main event matches.  It was well done.  Joey Janella got the biggest reaction live of everyone featured in the video by far.

Larry Legend is here as the emcee for the evening.

NYC independent talent Tyler Murphy is visiting.

AR Fox vs. Tony Deppen vs. Zachary Wentz vs. Dave Crist vs. Tim Donst vs. Alexander James.

I see CZW is going to make it easy for me early with a nutty Scramble match!  Streamers for Deppen.  Big pop for Fox. 

Jimmy Lynn came out and complained he wasn't booked and demanded promoter Maven Bentley add him to the match.  Bentley asked the fans and they agreed so now I have one more talent to try and keep up with!

Away we go!

Jame and Crist started as everyone else went to the floor.  Lynn hit the ring and broke up a pinfall attempt.  Lots of guys interfering and trying to steal pins early on.  Fox nailed a nice missile dropkick.   He whipped Wentz over with a nice suplex.  Fox set up for a dive but Wentz cut him off with a clothesline.  Donst hit a big dive to the outside, toppeling everyone over.  Lots of action so far.  Fox went for a springboard but was nailed by Wentz, who then did a reverse flip over the top to the floor. Fox then hit a big inverted flip off the top to the floor.

There was a cool sequence where four guys were on the floor in the corner on chairs and the other four ran around all four side hitting big boots on them in stereo.  The remaining four ended up in a Tower of Doom spot. Lots of a focus on big Fox spots as he woked against Wentz and Deppen.  Fox nailed an awesome 450 splash but Brittany Blake interfered.  That set up Fox's valet hitting the ring and nailing a DDT on her.  James superkicked Fox and nailed a nice brainbuster variation 

Donst and James battled back and forth, leading to a  nice lariat from Donst.   Donst guarded up as Deppen nailed a series of strikes.  They all went into a nice series of spots until Crist pinned Lynn. 

Your winner, Dave Crist!

Really fun spotfest for action junkies.  I wasn't familiar with everyone in the match but really enjoyed the work.  Perfect mix of back and forth wrestling and big spots.

Big chant for Fox after.  The babyfaces all showed respect to each other after the heels left.  Nice chant for Lynn after.  He worked his ass off and really showed a lot of promise.

 

CZW VP Maven Bentley came to the ring with the Marines who were in attendance collecting toys for Toys for Tots.  Maven said this was about saying thank you to all the Marines who protect this country and to thank them and everyone who collected toys for Toys for Tots and helping children who need it during the holidays.  They pointed out a young lady who was going to boot camp on January 3rd and wished her well.   The fans chanted "USA."  It was a classy moment.  Kudos to everyone involved.  Be sure to support Toys for Tots if you can.  It really can and will make a difference.

Maxwell Jacob Feinstein and a really gorgeous blonde were announced as the newest signees of CZW, "Mister and Mrs. CZW."  The crowd was all over them and threw toilet paper at them.  She got popped in the head by a roll and then in the rear end.  Rough crowd, rough crowd!  They were interviewed by Emil Jay.  He asked what they have planned.  They just walked out.  Lot of toilet paper being thrown at them on the way out.  Crowd really, really hated them.  This should be interesting to see how it develops.

Greg Excellent with Chrissy Rivera vs. Homicide

  The story here is that Homicide disrespected Excellent and doesn't see him as a real competitor so Excellent challenged him to prove himself.  Excellent ended up on the floor early,where Homicide hit a flip off the apron.  They battled on the floor.  When they returned, Excellent gained control and worked over Homicide in the corner.  Homicide fought him off and nailed some STIFF headbutts.  He was grabbed and slammed by Excellent.  Excellent choked him on the mat.  Homicide fired away with chops after Excellent worked him over in the corner.  Homicide grabbed him by the nose and backed him up into the buckles, then slapped and raked Excellent's back.  Excellent caught him and suplexed him away.

Excellent worked over Homicide and then ascended to top.  Homicide recovered and caught him with shots to the mid-section before setting up for a superplex.  He hit, getting a round of applause from Voorhees.  He went for the cover but Rivera got involved.  He tried to set her up for the Copkiller but saw Excellent was on hi feet.  Homicide charged but was hit with a Black Hole Slam.  Excellent missed a charge and went through the ropes to the floor.  Homicide went for the tope con hilo bur Rivera grabbed his leg.

Homicide pulled Rivera into the ring and locked her in a STF  Excellent returned and tried to drop and elbow but Homicide escaped and Rivera took the move instead.  Homicide nailed a running Ace Crusher for a two count.  He put Excellent in a STF.  Excellent made it to the ropes and grabbed it but was still tapping.  Homicide argued with and shoved the referee.  Excellent pulled out a foreign object and nailed Homicide with it in the throat, then nailed a Jay-Driller for the pin.

Your winner, Greg Excellent!

Solid back and forth match.

Homicide found the object in the ring after and was not happy.

The Dub Boys vs. Johnny Yuma and Kevin Martenson.

Yuma and Martenson are from Dave Marquez's Championship Wrestling Hollywood.  There will be a larger working relationship between the companies in 2017.  They are part of heel group Vermin in CWH.  The Boys are Dave McCall and Nate Carter. 

Some decent back and forth action early.  The crowd didn't seem very invested early as they have no real idea of who Yuma and Martenson are.  They picked up a bit after they hit some double team maneuvers.  They looked good and you could see parts of the crowd appreciating them and the other half booing them for beating down the local kids.

They worked over Carter until he caught Martenson with an exploder suplex.  McCall tagged in and cleaned house with kicks and knee strikes.   They cut him off.  Yuma nailed a running stomp to the back of the head.  Carter returned and caught CWH as they were going for a double team maneuver, suplexing both.     They went too long and you could hear the crowd turning on it.  Martenson did a nice plancha.

This left Yuma and McCall battling back and forth.  The Dub Boys attempted adouble team powerbomb into the corner but missed.  They finally caught Martenson with a snapshot for the pin.

Your winners, The Dub Boys.

OK match.  They had a hard time getting the crowd into it and that hurt the flow of the bout.

Shane Strickland vs. Dezmond Xavier with JT Davidson.

Strickland is Killshot in Lucha Underground.  I've heard good things about Xavier.

They had some really good, fast paced back and forth wrestling early before facing off.  The crowd is already into this.  Xavier went to the apron and backflipped off as Strickland charged.  Strickland fluidly did his own and they landed on their feet facing off.  That was badass.  They went back and forth on the floor before returning to the ring to avoid being counted out and faced off again.  Good stuff.  Unique way to build the tension.

Xavier has really amazing control and balance of his body.  Very crisp in everything he does.   Strickland gained control and nailed a series of chops in the corner.  Xavier reversed and fired away with his own.   Xavier snapmared him over and snapped the arm between his legs.  He charged but was nailed with an elbow. Strickland tried to nail a stunner but was kicked off and hit a standing twisting splash for a two count.

They battled back and forth until Strickland nailed a springboard into a tornado DDT that was pretty damn sweet.  He followed up with a stunner for a two count.  The one and only weakness the bout has thus far is that it is very back and forth and some of these moves should be leading to someone being in control for a time.   Lots of back and forth until Strickland nails a series of kicks and an over the shoulder powerslam.  He powers up but Xavier slips away, rebounds off the ropes and nailed a flip into a big DDT for a two count.

They battled to the top, where Xavier nailed a reverse rana.  Strickland landed on his feet and nailed a series of kicks, sending Xavier over the top to the floor.   Strickland hit a springboard 450 splash into a knee strike to the floor.  Xavier battled back and hit a cartwheel over the ropes to the floor and almost came up dangerously close to crashing and burning.

The battle continued back to the ring.  Xavier went to the top but was nailed with a kick and crashed down to the mat.   Strickland nailed a twisting dive off the top but missed.  Xavier then hit an insane twisting dive onto Strickland, who barely kicked up.  They continued back and forth until Strickland nailed a package driver off his shoulders.  It looked RUDE.

Your winner,Shane Strickland!

Lots of awesome athletic stuff here.  If you want to see cool sequences, this is for you.  Xavier, when he gains experience, is going to really be something special.  Strickland continues to impress.

CZW Tag Team champions The Hit Squad vs. EYFBO

They brawl all over ringide early.  They finally rang the bell when they returned. The Hit Squad worked over Angel Ortiz for a bit, scoring two count. Maff nailed Mike Draztic off the apron as he was awaiting a tag.  When he finally got the hot tag, he nailed a superkick on Maff and a big thrust on Mack.  He unloaded with chops on Mack and sent him into the buckles, smashing into Maff.  EYFBO nailed a series of splashes in the corner on Maff.  Maff came charging out with a spear on Draztic.

Maff worked over Ortiz and cinched him in a rear chinlock.     Ortiz escaped with a back suplex but Mack tagged in.  Ortiz nailed him with several strikes but weas sent into the corner.  He caught Maff and nailed him with a DVDR.  EYBO nailed a springboard ace crusher in Maff for a two count.  They worked over Maff, who came back with some big power spots.  Maff had Draztic on his shoulders.  Ortiz came off with a missile dropkick, sending Draztic backwards with a revese rana.  Mack did a rana off the top and nailed some suplexes.

EYFBO worked over Mack on the top to set for a double superplex but Maff slipped under for a double powerbomb.  The Tower of Doom spot gets the first "Holy sh**" chant of the night.   They all battled back and forth.  Good tag action that ended with Ortiz nailing a top rope frog splash followed by Draztic nailing a 450 splash for the pin.

Your winners and new CZW Tag Team champions, EYFBO!

Da Hit Squad awarded them the belts after.

Real good match!

Brittany Blake came out and announced that as holder of the Ultimate Opportunity contract, she was going to cash it in for the CZW Tag belts right now.  Scarlet and Graves attacked EYFBO from the crowd, laid them out and pinned them.

Your winners and new CZW Tag Team champions, Scarlet and Graves!

Lots of fans throwing things after the title shot.  It did not make the fans happy, but certainly leaves EYFBO and Da Hit Squad with someone to chase.

Lio Rush vs. Sami Callihan.

Rush had this awesome entrance with a valet and a bodyguard that was just great.  He came off like a star.  Callihan came out wearing a cat mask.  They started out hot with each of them hitting dives on the other before brawling around ringside.  Rush tried to come off the apron but was caught and hit with a running powerbomb over the railing into the third row.  The crowd exploded and chanted, "CZW!"

Lio barely made it back before the countout and was rudely powerbombed down by Sami.   Crowe tossed him to the outside and played to the crowd.  Rush returned to the ring and attacked him from behind on the ropes.  They battled on the top turnbuckles.  Callihan went for a sunset flip powerbomb but Rush landed on his feet and nailed a standing Spanish Fly for a two count.

Rush went for a double stomp but missed.  Callihan stunned him with a mule kick and a stiff lariat.  They exchanged strikes.  Rush kicked him hard in the face and Sami retuned in kind, scoring a two count after a big boot.  Lio had a flurry of offense including some awesome kicks, a reverse rana and a top rope frog splash for a two count.  He got flustered and argued with the referee over the count. 

Rush went for a powerbomb but Callihan escaped and locked on the Stretch Muffler.  Rush fought his way out but was caught with a sitdown tombstone for a two count.  The crowd is loving this.    They fired back and forth with chops until Rush spit in his face.  Callihan got mad and charged and was caught with the standing Spanish Fly for the pin.  Big win!

Your winner, Lio Rush!

Rush is going to be a big star one day.  He just keeps getting better and better.  Callihan's work is just great and still so underrated.  Really good match.

Callihan sat in the ring for a long time upset about his loss.  The crowd chanted his name and him respect.  He flipped them off.

CZW champion Jonathan Gresham vs. Joe Gacy

Gresham attacked Gacy as he was entering the ring first, knocking him to the floor.  He grabbed a chair and smashed it down over Gacy.  He then entered the ring for his introduction as Gacy pulled himself into the ring, beaten.  Gresham put his boots to Gacy as he complained that despite being the champion and being the best wrestler in the world, he hasn't been in one main event because the fans prefer blood and guts guys like Gacy.  He called him a part time death match scumbag.  This pissed off Gacy, who attacked him and laid him out with a kick and a sideslam.  Gresham escaped to the aisle leading to the ring, where Gacy caught up with him and nailed a big axehandle.

Gacy worked him over in the corner and sent him into a barricade on the floor.    Gacy nailed a big running boot to the floor.    They battled back into the ring and then out to the entrance aisle again.     Back in the ring, Gresham relentlessly worked over Gacy until the big man came back with a big boot for a two count. Gresham locked a sleeper but Gacy drilled him backwards into the corners.   They went back and forth.  Gresham worked over his leg.  The referee adominished him so Gresham nailed the referee.   Gresham walked out with the belt.  A fan began giving him static.

Gresham said that if the fans don't think he can beat everyone in the locker room twice, he'll go back and prove them wrong.  He asked for a new referee and said he was going to make Joe tap.  He took the mic and told Gacy he would never be champion and was about to go to sleep and dream of the day he could win.  He went for a sleeper but was rammed backwards into the buckles and hit with a buckle bomb.  Gacy nailed the Lethal Injection but Gresham kicked out at the last second.

Gresham locked him in the Rings of Saturn and forced Gresham to tap.  Great finish.

Your winner and new CZW champion, Joe Gacy!

Crowd went nuts for the finish and loved the hell out of this.  Gacy celebrated in crowd.  Gresham grabbed a ringside attendant and suplexed him on the floor in a rage.  Gresham's work as a hell was really inspired here.

Shlack and his partner came out and announced Shlack was going to be the first competitor in the 2017 Tournament of Death.  They cut a good promo.

Danny Havoc vs. Rickey Shane Page: Ultraviolent Death Match

They had all sorts of puncturing weapons hung on the ropes and corners.   Lots of feeling out spots where they tried to outmuscle each other  They were each sent into a wooden contraption that had all sorts of blades and blunt instruments on it.  RSP sent Havoc into another, which shattered apart on impact.  RSP nailed a backbreaker across the knee for a two count.  He grabbed a broken piece of wood and used it to ravage Havoc's face.  RSP was sent into a contraption that looked to hold plastic forks.

RSP was ripped apart by Havok, busted open in the process.  He had something sticking to his arm and Havoc ripped it out.  He finally sent Havoc flying backwards into a thumbtack board and then slammed him on it.  The crowd chanted, "This is awesome."  Havoc was busted open during all this.  RSP set up one of the contraptions between two chairs,  He picked up Havoc, draped him off the ropes and nailed a DDT through it for a two count.  Just evil stuff.

They continued beating the hell out of each other and fought to the top, where Havoc superplexed RSP down through an open chair.  OUCH.  Havoc followed up with a big side suplex and scored a two count.  A pane of glass was run down to ringside by the crew and put in the ring.  Just like magic.  Havoc placed it in between two chairs.  They battled back and forth with strikes.  They went down to their knees exhausted, showed each other respect and began beating the p*** out of each other again. 

They battled to the top where Shane came off the ropes with a piledriver through the pane of glass that was bridged and scored the pin.

Your winner, Rickey Shane Page!

You knew what you were getting here and well, you sure as hell got it!

RSP took the mic and said that he wanted to thank Havoc for everything he's ever done for him.  He said that without Havoc, he would not be here in CZW.  He said that he had to fight for everything he got in CZW and said he had to even fight a fat idiot in the back to keep his spot in the locker room.  He promised that in 2017, he would be the new CZW champion.  Impassioned promo.

CAGE OF DEATH: Devon Moore, Drew Blood, Dale Patricks, and Josh Crane vs. "The Bulldozer" Matt Tremont, Joey Janela, Jeff Cannonball, and Conor Claxton

The Cage of Death is the company's traditional yellow cage with several glass panes in the corner, scaffolding outside the cage in the entrance aisle with the top of that bridged to the top of the cage.  Underneath the bridge is a table covered in barbed wire boards.  There is also a ladder, steel chairs and a barbed wire bat in the ring as well as  bucket of God knows what inside the cage.  On another side of the cage, there were two tables stacked with barbed wire and chairs atop of them.

We will have photos up ASAP.  The wifi is extremely spotty in the venue.

You can be eliminated by pinfalll, falling off the cage to the floor or going off the top of the cage to the floor.  Submissions don't count.

The first man out was Drew Blood.  The first man out for CZW was Claxton, who climbed the scaffold and walked the bridge into Ultraviolent territory.    There was a big CZW chant at the bell.    They began brawling. Claxton dropkicked Moore into a pane of glass, which exploded.  Moore returned the favor and another pane exploded.  Claxton hiptossed and slammed Moore onto barbed wire.  Claxton unloaded and nailed Moore with a barbed wire baseball bat.  Moore use it to drill Claxton in the throat.

The next man out for Team Notorious was Josh Crane.  They had the advantage and beat the hell out of Claxton, who was clunked over the head with a big water bottle.  They used the barbed wire bat expeditiously on him. 

Jeff Cannonball was out for Team CZW to even up the odds.   He and Crane battled over a suplex near a pane of glass.  Crane nailed a side Russian legsweep into the glass.  Moore was backdropped into a ladder in the corner of the ring.  Claxton put broken glass in his mouth and spit like mist at Moore.  Cannonball drilled Crane with a stiff chairshot.

The next man out for Team Notorious is Dale Patricks.  He went to work on Team CZW.    The three on two beating continued until Joey Janella evened the odds, hitting the ring with a big bodypress off the bridge to the top of the cage onto everyone.  He got the biggest pop by far.  He cleaned housr and nailed a big superplex on Patricks into the ring, crashing down through a ladder that was bridged betwen two chairs. The battle continued with everyone brawling with weapons.

The final man out for Notorious was captain Devon Moore.  He came off the cage onto everyone.  He set up a barbed wire board in one of the corners.  The brawl continued.  Janella hit a skateboarding kick into Patricks.  The final man out for Team CZW was captain Matt Tremont who clobbered everyone with lariats. He nailed a DVDR through the barbed wire board on Moore.  That got a huge CZW chant. 

The mayhem continued with lots of blood and circuses.  Janella came off the cage wall with a leaping dropkick into the chair on Patricks.  Team CZW ruled the roost, beating down Team Notorious.    They all sat in chairs facing each other and brawled back and forth it.   Team CZW hit stereo suplexes at the same time and scored two counts together.  The crowd chanted "This is awesome."

The bloody brawl continued as another barbed wire board was brought into play,  Tremont tossed Josh Crane into a glass pane.  It didn't break and the place booed.  If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.  Well,Tremont did and this time Crane went through the glass and out of a hole in the cage, landing on a table and barbed wire.  They ruled he was eliminated.

The brawling continued.  Cannonball climbed to the top of the cage but fought with and was knocked off by Patricks, crashing through two tables stacked with barbed wire.  He was announced as eliminated.

It's down to 3 vs. 3.

They brought more glass into the cage.  Janella pulled Patricks over the cage into a reverse sit down powerbomb.  That looked like hell  Janella came off the top rope with a flip dive but his target moved and he painfully crashed into the chair that was left behind.  Moore placed a pane of glass between two chairs.  Tremont cut him off as he went to the top rope and they battled.  He tried to do a sunset flip powerbomb but his foot hit the glass and flipped it over.  He nailed Tremont and reset the pane of glass.  He nailed a double knee strike through the glass, which exploded and pinned Tremont.  The crowd didn't like that AT ALL and chanted, "Bullsh**."

Outside, Patricks and Claxton brawled on the bridge above the ring.  Claxton picked up Patricks and powerslammed him off into the ring, his feet hitting the ceiling of the venue on the way down.  Patricks was pinned.  It was insane.  We are down to 2 vs.2.

The battle went back to the bridge, where Claxton was shoved off the bridge through a table and chairs and barbed wire, eliminated.

It's down to Joey Janella vs. Devon Moore and Drew Blood.  He sent Blood into the ring from the bridge and nailed a swanton off the cage for the pin.

It is down to Janella vs. Moore.  Moore attacked him immediately and worked him over, scoring several two counts.  Janella came back with a DVDR for a two count.   He placed a pane of glass between two chairs.  He out Moore underneath it and nailed a double stomp through the glass and Moore, scoring a two count. 

Another pane of glass was brought into the mix.  Josh Crane returned to the ring but was warned off by Janella.  Janella made a motion like he was challenging anyone else who wanted to fight to come on out.  Patricks hit the cage a well and they all beat the hell out of Janella.  They all worked over Janella until Tremont returned with ring music, carrying a massive collection of light tubes.  He saved the day and wiped out the team only to have Tremont turn and spear him through a pane of glass in the corner, showering the audience in glass.

Tremont stood over the beaten Janella.  Moore pulled him up and let everyone have their way with him before scoring the pin.

Your winners, Team Notorious!

The rest of the team left as Tremont stood there staring down at Janella.  He finally walked out.

Janella was down and out for a long time in the ring after.  They finally called for medical help and EMTs came out to help him up and out of the ring.  The crowd chanted his name as he was held up and brought to the back.

Thanks for logging in with us tonight and for your continued support of PWInsider.com!

Combat Zone Wrestling will present the 20th Cage of Death event tomorrow 12/9 at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, PA, streaming live live for subscribers of The Highspots Wrestling Network.


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